Central-discharge selective vending machine



Dec. 20, 1927. 7 1,653,347

- w. c. CUTLER CENTRAL DISCHARGE SELECTIVE VENDING MACHINE Filed Oct. 13. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

bylaw (2 ATTORNEY.

Dec. 20, 1927. 1,653,347

- w. c. CUTLER CENTRAL DISCHARGE SELECTIVE VENDING MACHINE Filed Oct. 13. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I I I u l I w l l 2 4 P417 t 45%} 25 i #1- E IN VEN TOR.

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A TTORNE Y.

Patented Dec. 20, i 1927.

uuirsn" STATES WILLIAM c. CUTLER-,0]? GLENDALE, CALIFORNIaAsSIGNOR, BY mnsnn AssIeN MENTS, TO w. ARMSTRONG, F. A. MQBURNEY, AND F. C.'-WOLF, TRUSTEES, ALL or LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

i CENTRAL-DISCHARGE SELECTIVE VENDING MACHINE.

f Application filed October 13, 1925. Serial 11032354.

. The present invention relates to selective vending machines of the type n which a plurality of article holders are revolved "and accordingly increase the height of the machine. In saidmachine there remains a comparatively large central space .1n which there is contained no parts whatever, and it is an object of this invention to provide for utilizing such space to contain the discharge chute and other parts. I v

Another object of the "invention is to provide' room for a slug eliminating coin chute A, which may extend from the upper part of the machine to the coin controlled operating mechanism; which'latter is to be disposed in said central space, without said chute interfering with continued revolving of the magazine of article holders. I I

Another object of the invention is to provide for using asingle closure between the article holders and the discharge chute,

which closure is coin controlled and which,

when opened, will allow "the article which is registered therewith to gravitate into the chute.

,A further object of the invention is to provide simple and effective means for accurately centering the magazine ustprior to opening movement of the closures, so that the selected article is properly registered with the chute when the closures are moved to open position. 1

Still other objectsand advantages of my invention will appear hereinafter.

I have illustrated my invention by the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of one practical embodiment of my nventlonr Figure 2 is a view in. verticali'mid-section thereof.

Figure 3 is a view in'section seen on a. line V I I I v l end turns as at 25 and extends thru the Wall 3+3 of Fig. 2.

In said design the vending mecha- Figure 4 is a view insection seen on a line 4-4 of Fig.2., I c

In carrying out my invention in the present embodiment I employ inner and" outer concentric annular walls 8 and 9 respectively so spaced as to provide for containing a plurality of articles lO, radially disposed with regard to the common center of the said two walls. The articles are shown disposed on edge and both the inner and outer concentri'c walls are arranged to permit of the articles being moved slidably over the walls. 2

The inner annular wallprovides a circularspacell which is closed at the front by a removable wall 12, v and at the rear by a fixed wall 13. The removable wall carries an integral chute 14 terminating infa narrow opening 15, atthe wall 12, which opening will permit of the withdrawal of a single artlcle. The chute curves upwardly and inwardly to terminate inan open article receiving end 16, disposed below the upper part of the inner annular wall.

The inner annular wall is provided with an opening 17 registeredwith, and conforming closely. to, the upper open end of the chute; The chute carries a pair of hinged closures 18 which are hinged to the chute as at 19." Said closures are arranged to fold down into the chute into open position, and when in closed position said closures fill the. gap in the inner wall, which is-provided by "the opening 17;

It will be apparent now as the articles are collectively revolved in. their. radially disposed positions around-the common center of the annular Wall, that said articleswill successively slide over the closures. The articles which are at any time disposed below the center have their upperends riding on the outer wall, while those articles which are at any time above center will have their lower ends riding on the inner wall. Obviously, whenan article is registered with the closures, said article may gravitate into the chute when the closures position.

" 'The machine includes a rearcasing wall 21, which-is spaced rearwardly of the wall chute continues upwardly thru said space a 1 1,653,347 PATENTQOF are moved to open to a coin slot24. Said chute, at the lower 13 into the inner circular space 11, at one side'of the chute. The rear casing wall joins the outer annular wall, to co-act therewith, and with theinner annular wall, to enclose the articles. A front wall 26 is provided integrally with the outer annular wall and contains sight openings 27 covered with glass 28 so that the outermost sides of all the articles are visible. The machine inclucle'stwo'spaced rings 2 joined by segmental transverse walls 30 to. provide a complete annular article holding magazine; the walls 30 providing individual article *holders 01' pockets 31 open at each enema in'each of "which an article may be loosely inserted. The magazine is fitted --ove'r the inner annular wall and said wall acts as a hearing or axle for same; the magazine being thereby freely revoluble. The outermost ring oi": the magazine "carries an internal ringtjear 32 which meshes with a gear 33 which is disposed in "the central circular space tobne side of the discharge chute. The-gear33 is carried by a shaft 8-1 and passes thru hearing 35 in the removable wall 12, to terminate eXteriorly in. a selecting crank 36. Byrevolving the crank exterior-1y o'f thednachine, anyselected arti cle "seen th'ru the sight openings 'n'i'a-y' be moved into registration with the closure; an arrow=37 on the firontwall 1-2 indicating the correct position into whieha selected article should be moved. The rear ring of the magazine carries a notched ring 38provid'ed with teeth 39. The closures are extended rearwardly air-11a suitable opening lfl in said wall. Contiguous with wall 13there is mounted 'abar 4 1 terminating in'a pointat the lower end "so "that upon being moved downwardly the point will move between two adjacent *teeth-and center and lock the magazine. The bar is provided with slots 44, in which are disposed the projecting part of pins 43, carried by the'ivall 13. Thus the rod i's held and guided in vertical movement. The rod is provided with a yokeslotlQin fwh-iclrisdisposed a pin45. Said pin is carried by a lcv'er46 'pi-voted t0 the wall 13 as at47 and curvingas at 48 teentend thru slots49 and 50, inthe walls'12 and l3,'1'-espectively. Said lever then terminates exteriorly ofthe casing in a handle 51. By depressing the handle the pin '45 is moved downwardly and acts on the margin of theyoke-slot to force the rod down- -\va1"clly. The upperend ot the rod 18 bent as 211152, toavoid the rear ends-of theclosures and carries a lug Said lug is ar ranged 'upon downward movement of Ethe rod, to 'force'the closures apart; the rod being so an'an'ged that the closures cannot be opened by any means other'than legitimate means; without moving the rod downward. It is understood that where the leveripasses thru'the circularspace *it is ordinarily locked by a c'o'in contro'lled lock not shown :".-"o that the lever, or the closures cannot be moved until a coin has been deposited. In other applications of mine, and thruout the art,

numerous formsof coin controlled locks and coin controlled means for rendering operating levers effective or inefl'ective, are to be found and many such means are applicable to this machine, and therefore no further description of coin controlled means is re;

:the central space 11 or in the narrdw space be'twe'enthe wall 13andthe reai easingwall.

The operation of the various parts being practically explained herein. the operation of the machine as a 'whdle may be understood ttroin 'lthe following:

To purchase-an article from the machine the "prospective purchaser turns the selecting crank until the article which he has selected is aligned with the arrow. A coin is'then deposlted within theslot. Until a coin is deposited depression-of the-operating lever will be fruitless, but when a coin is deposited depression of i said lever will move the rod downwardly. -Filst movement of 'the rod brings the pointed end between two teethrin the'toothed ring. When thepoinfed end is so disposed the magazine cannot be revolved further. As the rod moves further the magazine becomes centered, by the pointed endotthe rod, and the closures-are moved to open position by'the act of the lug being forced between the closures. \Vhen 'the closures have been 'moved to open posi tion the magazine accurately positioned and'lockcd so that the article which is registered with the discharge 'chute is in correct position to gravitate into the chute without interference. The article then slides down the {chute to the forward open end, from which it may be taken by the purchaser. @Untilthe lever returns to normal position, the magazine cannot be revolved a ain. Therefore, only one article may be ha' for each coin deposit-ed. V 7

It will be apparent now that Ihave provided a. selective vending machine in which the parts'are compactly disposed and while I have shown and describeda'specific construction and arrangement of parts, I do not limit myself -to any specific construction oif'arrangement of partsand may alter same-asl desire orasoccasion requires without enlarging the scope of my invention within the appended claims. 1 y

Having described my invention, 1 claim:

till

1. In a selective-vendingmachine, a vertical casing, an inner annular wall concentric to said casing having its axis horizontally disposed, said wall provided with a discharge opening atthe top thereof; and a discharge chute disposed in the space encircled by said wall; said chute having an upper open end registered with said opening.

2. In a select-ivevending machine, a vertical casing,'an inner annular wall concentrio to said casing having its axis horizontally disposed, said wall provided with a dlS-r charge opening at the top thereof; and a discharge chute disposed in the space encircled by said wall; said chute having an'upper open'end registered with said opening; and movable closures controlling said opening; said wall and closure adapted to allow articles to move slidably thereover.

3. In a selective'vending machine, a vertical casing, an inner annular wall concentric to said casin having its axis horizontally disposed, said wall provided with adischarge openingat the top thereof and a discharge chute disposed in the space encircled by said wall; said chute having an upper open end registered with said opening; and

movable closures controlling said opening;

saidwall and closure'adapted to allow articles to move slidably thereover, and means for collectively moving a plurality of separate articles sli'dably around said wall and successively over said closure.

4. In a selective vending machine, a vertical casing, an inner annular wall concentric to said casing having its axis horizontally disposed, said wall provided with a dis charge opening at thetop-thereof; and a discharge chute disposed in thespace encircled by said wall; said chute having an upper open end registered with said opening; and movable closures controlling said opening; said wall and closure adapted to allow articles to move slidably thereover, and means for collectively moving a pluralityof separate articles slidably around said wall and successively over said closure, and means housedwithin said circular space, to one side of said chute, for moving said first named means.

5. In a selective vending machine aringlike magazine provided with open-end radially disposed article-holding pockets, a fixed wall concentrically disposed with regard to said magazine; said wall provided with an 1 upper opening for discharge of an article, said magazine and the contained artlcles' being collectively slidable revolubly around and upon said wall; closures controlling said opening, and a discharge chute registered with said closures and opening; said chute being disposed within the space encircled by said annular wall. p

6. In a selective vending machine a ring like magazine provided with open-end radially disposed article-holding pockets, a fixed wall concentrically disposed with re gard to said magazine; said wall provided with an upper opening for discharge of an article, said magazine and the contained articles being collectively slidable revoluble around and upon said 'wall, an internal ring gear carried by said magazine, a gear in the space encircled by said concentric fixed wall; said wall provided with an opening thru which the last named gear projects to'mesh with said ringgear, and a shaftcarrying said last named gear. 7. Ina selective, vending machine, a rev oluble annular vmagazine provided with open-end radially disposed article holding pockets, each adapted to loosely contain an article, an inner. concentric fixed annular wall over which the articles are slidable; said wall and magazine having, their axes horizontally disposed, an opening in the upper part of said concentric wall, a circular wall closing the forward open end of the space encircled by said concentric wall, a chute carried by said last named wall extending inwardly and upwardly to terminate below said opening, and closures carried by the; said upper end of said chute; said closures movable from open to closed position to close said opening; the closures being p0- sitioned to allow articles to slide thereover. 5 8. In a selective vending machine, a revoluble annular "magazine provided with open-end radially disposed article holding pockets, each adapted to loosely contain an article, an inner concentric fixed annular wall over which the articles are slidable; said wall and magazine having their axes horizontally disposed, an openin in the upper part of said concentric wal a circular wall closing the forward open end of the space encircled by said concentric wall, a

chute carried by said last named wall exbeingpositioned to allow articles to slide thereover, a second circular wall closing the rear end of the space encircled by said concentric wall;said second circular wall provided wit-h an opening adjacent said closures, rear extensions to said closures extending thru said last named opening, and meansbehind said second circular wall, operable on the said extensionsto move said closures to open position. i

9. In a selective vending machine, a revoluble annular magazine provided with open-end radially disposed article holding pockets, each adapted toloosely contain an article, an inner, concentric fixed annular wall over which the articles are slidable;

said-,wall and magazine, having their axes horizontally disposed, :an opening in the upper part of said concentric Wall, a circular Wall closing the forward-open end of the space encircled by said concentric wall, a chute carried by said last named wall extending inwardly and upwardly to termi: nate below said opening, and closures carried by the said upper end of said chute; said closures movable from open to closed position to close said opening; the closures being positioned to allow articles Zto slide thereover; a second circular Wall closing the rear end of the space encircled by said concentric Wall; said second circular Wall 15 provided Witlran opening adjacent said clo- In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

IL -1AM o. CUTLER. 

